Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1887-08-11
The Handsome Doctor.


fred Morley a very handsome man, Miss
Gray p queried Mary Jones, ut the Ia.
dies sewing society and all who
heard the question stopped working
and listened eagerly for Sophie Gray's
reply.
Sophie, a small, slight, yet command
ing looking burnette, flashed an anus.
ed glance around the circle, and laugh
ed 80 significantly that two or three of
her friends blushed; the quick tenn
pered daughters of Sir George Laurie
drew themselves up and frowned !;
while that pink and white beauty, Ca
rine Woodsleigh. sighed audibly, and
shaded her face with her hand, as if she
were personally concerned in the mat
ter.
I don't think haye ever expressed
an opinion Of any kind respecting DR..
Wilfred Morley's personal appearance.
MISS Gray said at last, "nor DO l know
why you ask me to do so now. All
the years | have lived in Earndell no
one has ever inquired whatI think Of
DR.. Wilfred's father, and yet he has al
ways attended me and my househo Id.
1t is not a case in point, cried Lydia
Vane, saucilY. We are not discussing
the skill Of our medical men, but the
physiognomy Of the latest conner among
us. Now, do confess that you agree
with the majority, and think as we do
that DR.. Wilfred is one Of the hand
soonest men you ever saw ?
Again the reply was waited for with
breathless eagerness, for Sophie Gray
was the wealthiest and most indepen-
dent young lady present.
Since the death Of her father, tho
lord Of the manor. she had been her
own mistress, the aunt resing with her
as ostensible chaperon being a nonen.
tity as well as an inyalid.
Bessy Layton was the only orphan
daughter of an estimable man, who had
been land. steward to the late Mr.. Gray
and as she was an unpretending, sweet
tempered girl, who never seemed to
feel a snub-and certainly never re-
sented one--even those young ladies Of
Earndell who were loudest IN their ex-
pressions Of surprise that Sophie Gray
made 80 much OF this insignificant lit
tie thing were forced to allow that Bes-
sy did not presume on her friend's
kindness.
As Miss Gray was of social turn of
mind, and frequently gave the most de-
lightful tennis parties and carpet
dances, no one cared to offend her; yet
it was immensely provoking that she
should turn the cold shoulder on the
most eligible Of the Earndell bachelors;
the son Of the elderly practitioner. who
for more years than We care to count
had been considered the cleverest med
ical man in or near Earndell.
DR.. Wilfred, as he was commonly
called. to distinguish him from his faith
er. had been studying IN Paris and vi.
emma. He left Earndell raw. awk-
ward boy he returned there n polish
ed gentleman, with diplomas and GER
tifcates of his ability that warranted
his sire in publicly announcing that
from henceforth Wilfred would be his
partner, with a view to his own retire
ment by and by.
But the sewing maidens are still sit.
ting with their work on their laps and
needles suspended, or else tapping i'm
patiently the table with their silver
thimbles.
You ask me- said Sophie Gray slow
ly, If l consider DR.. Morley son hand
some. How can answer when | have
every reason to believe that you and /
attach very different meanings to the
word +? have known persons who
were commonly called ugly, but whose
feature, were so expressive, 80 lntelli-
gent, that they were beautiful in my
sight. If I concede that DR.. Wilfred is
a very pretty young man, will it salts
fy you? At the same time I must be
allowed to say that I don't feel at all
anxious to cultivate his acquaintance
simply because he has . well.shaped
nose and a respectable moustache.'
A pretty young man; and this was
all the praise she would bestow on the
dark.eyed. handsome doctor, whom
score of female admirers were likening
to Guy LiviDgstone-Lord Byron-.and
every hero of romance they could re
member.
For the first time in his life, DR.. Nor
lev the elder found himself at a dis
count amongst Che more youthful OF